Tsunami can be defined as a sequence of ocean waves of bizarrely enormous length that are engendered by incessant uproars of the earth’s outer layer. This sticking force causes mass destruction of property and human beings. There is also a widespread epicenter under or near the ocean, and with a vertical displacement of the ocean floor; these strong waves have numerous effects to Human beings (Danninger and Kang 75).
Tsunami Dangers
Loss of Life
Many lives of people along Japan’s coastal regions have been lost because population along coastal regions has been growing tremendously. This historically can be traced in parts of Japan’s coastal region which is closely populated according to a research, it is estimated that over 1,000 people lost their lives after the 1960 tsunami in Japan.
The force of tsunami waves may kill people instantly, or they may drown people when water rushes to land, the electrical installation also contributed to this loss since there was a possibility of people being electrocuted if wires are exposed. Many people were affected psychologically in most of coastal regions, due to this loss. 1,000 houses were destroyed in September 1498, resulting to around 500 deaths following a tsunami that hit the Kii peninsula.
In September 1596, there was another destructive tsunami in Kyushu (OECD 56). These findings show severe effects of tsunamis to human beings who have been affected. Most of coastal regions’ vulnerable women, men, and their children lost their lives while carrying on with their daily chores.
Destruction and Damage
Many people’s property was lost since many businesses are set along the coastal lines during this devastating time. People lost their daily income due to the destruction. Coastal regions took long to stabilize because of this effect. Tsunami effects were reported in the media across the world.
However, these effects continued for many years after the natural disaster struck Japan. Many people affected, will never forget this terrifying experience of being caught in a tsunami they live to tell shocking of their life moments. Tsunami tide waves on the sore can destroy anything on the path these include. Boat buildings, hotels, cars trees telephone lines (Danninger and Kang 90).
New Diseases Emerged
The stagnant water displaced by tsunami waves in flooded areas also caused illnesses such as malaria from stagnated water and contamination. This caused more deaths and sickness in the affected areas. The tampering with infrastructure like sewerage and freshwater supplies worsened the situation. Lack of fresh water led to the outbreak of diseases like cholera and other related diseases due to this situation.
Victims Suffer Psychology Problems
This could continue for a while or often their entire lifetime According to the study done by WHO on survival of tsunami victims recorded stress, disorders to children, anxious among other effects that were noticed in the area. Loss of homes also resulted to depression.
High Cost of Fighting Tsunami
The total cost of tsunami could be billions of dollars since the damage of income-generating business, and the cost used to curb the situation on the ground was quite high. Japan’s government issued newer bounds for rebuilding and reconstruction. The country spent most of the finances on the victims.
The better part was that Japan has a substantial income. This made it easier for it to rekindle finances lost, since it has excellent infrastructure and quality health conditions on top of a huge economy. The greatest loss was demographic challenges and existing fiscal burden.
Export and Import Alteration
Since Japan is an industrialist state, it was affected in terms of exports and imports. Many of the manufactured products in Japan could still stay in ports since transporting them during tsunami was risky. Therefore, manufactured products like Honda Toyota, Sony added up to the financial burden consequently affecting the economy (OECD 43).
Closing down Japanese prime oil refineries due to the calamity decreased demand for oil and lowered the cost of crude oil prices. In addition, Japan is an industrialized country; shortage of electricity jeopardized the operations in this sector. This was attributed to slowdown due to the shortage of electricity generating capacity.
The Risk of Nuclear Reactors When Tsunami Hit Japan
Nuclear reactors in Japan’s tsunami and earthquakes have hampered efforts to get it restored. Some nuclear reactors lost their cooling ability during the tsunami prompting a rush against time to fix the problem. These media reports showed that Tsunami had a role to play in these reactors.
The Japanese Government’s Treatment with the Tsunami
Before the Tsunami
Japanese government’s ability to deal with crisis is beyond doubt. The fact that Japan is a developed country, it was in a position to respond to Tsunami swiftly. Despite its impact on the economy, Japan government had set its military base in order to respond to this situation (Dick and Nanto 27). This unique military base is capable of dealing with any situation of which they had set right materials and equipment and manpower to curb Tsunami.
This prompted this military base to keep on practicing and equipping itself from any calamity this readiness by the government was able to respond to the crisis swiftly and saved thousands of people. Special techniques’ and right equipment used by the government placed the government in a particularly strategic place. This acquainted the soldiers with confidence and also the residents.
A government’s unique unit was of significant help to residents since it taught victims on how to respond to such calamities. Japan’s metrological department warned people of Tsunami and asked people to be cautious of it, by possibly vacating the area. The department used satellite and kept on monitoring the ground and alerted people on the television of its whereabouts.
However, this information came about late and people could not act swiftly to the onset of the Tsunami since it was quite fast. This left many people being confused on the way. Signs, alarms, and media warnings were a little bit late since the population was high along this region (Danninger and Kang 143). Unfortunately, many did not make it out of danger.
After the Tsunami Happened
Japan has tried to prevent Tsunami effects by building concrete breakwaters and floodgates to protect coastal areas around the country. This will prevent strong currents that come with force. However, it has warned that it cannot prevent Tsunami. Government has also set personnel to encourage the victims and depressed people to cope with the situation this has given the victims motivation to continue to survive (Dick and Nanto 46).
They have also set laws related to this destruction. These will be able to budget for the calamity when it occurs so as to avoid it hurting the economy. These guidelines have seen Japanese people build confidence in investing in coastal regions which were considered risky by many local and foreign investors.
This development has seen the Japanese recover from previous losses that arose from the Tsunami. Development of technology has also boosted swift measures on ocean areas. This has been done by setting new devices and machines which will help Japan to cope with Tsunami in future (OECD 32).
Conclusion
In conclusion, Tsunami can be defined as a sequence of ocean waves of bizarrely enormous length that are engendered by incessant uproars of the earth’s outer layer. This sticking force causes mass destruction of property and human beings. In Japan, Many people affected will never forget this terrifying experience of being caught in a tsunami they live to tell shocking of their lives moments.
In an effort to prepare for such a disaster, Japan has tried to prevent Tsunami effects by building concrete breakwaters and floodgates to protect coastal areas around the country. This will prevent strong currents that come with force.
Works Cited
Danninger, Stephan and Kenneth Kang. Finance & Development. Washington: International Monetary Fund, 2011. Print.
Dick K. Nanto. Japanżs 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami: Economic Effects and Implications for the United States. New York: DIANE Publishing, 2011. Print.
The stay of mankind on planet earth has often witnessed moments of helplessness when natural disasters have stuck; thus, destroying many lives and disorienting mankind in the process. From our earliest ancestors to the modern man, we have not been safe from the anger of natural disasters.
Ranging from volcanoes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and the destructive tsunamis, we are susceptible to an array of natural disasters that is always waiting to strike. Such was the case when a tsunami hit the coastline of Sri Lanka on 26th December, 2004.
Without warning, thousands of people were killed by the 2004 tsunami. Such is the common story that is often told when catastrophic disasters like a tsunami strikes. Although we have evolved in science and thus learned many secrets of our world, we have not been able to subdue natural disasters. Since all life is precious, it is our responsibility to use the resources we have, and adopt a behaviour that can help us preserve even a few lives during catastrophic events.
Generally, a tsunami can be defined as a series of wave disturbances which usually originate from a vertical displacement of a water column (Abek 1561). The word “tsunami” has an origin in the Japanese language. Here, “tsunami” can be directly translated as a series of waves that often form at bays (Hassain 51).
Usually, anything with a potential of displacing, or moving a large volume of water can cause a tsunami (Vitarana 84). The most common causes of tsunamis include earthquakes, moving heavenly bodies such as meteorites and asteroids, volcanoes, and landslides (Vitarana 84).
Earthquakes
Most tsunamis originate from earthquakes. Once an earthquake occurs on a sea bed, a large mass of water is displaced upwards. Due to the force of gravity, the displaced volume of water will move downwards to regain its original position (Vitarana 84).
A repetitive cycle where a water column moves up and down is created; hence forming a wave. Usually, a displacement of a water column will occur when part of a sea bed is displaced (UNEP 12). A fault line in the earths crust can especially create a boundary where a vertical displacement of the sea bed can easily occur (Liu 106).
Earthquakes that occur on subduction trenches are the main causes of most tsunamis (Liu 106). The tsunami waves that originate from an earthquake source can then move away from the place where they originate thousands of miles (Moore 143). Knowing the magnitude of an earthquake can especially be useful in determining the scale of tsunamis that have travelled thousands of miles from their source (Hassain 51).
Landslides
Tsunamis can also originate from landslides. Landslides can occur at the seabed, or at the coast (Vitarana 84). Possible causes of such landslides include the earthquakes, the erosion of sea slopes, and volcanoes (Hanson 67).
The erosion of coastal slopes can occur as a result of rain action, from sea waves, and storms (Hanson 67). Due to a displacement of sea water as a result of displaced debris from landslides, a series of waves that has a potential of causing a tsunami is formed (Van 24).
Volcanoes
When a volcano occurs above the surface of the sea, but in proximity to the sea’s surface, a large quantity of rock debris is thrown into the sea. When such debris falls into the sea, it displaces water; hence, creating waves that can cause a tsunami.
However, volcanic eruptions that occur under a sea are more hazardous in forming tsunamis (Hassain 51). Tsunamis can originate from a displacement of water that is caused from a rising slope of a volcano (Van 24).
Besides, gases that are usually released from an erupting volcano can also cause a large water displacement; hence, forming a tsunami in themselves (Hanson 67). Moreover, a volcano can also trigger an earthquake, which can then trigger a tsunami (Damen 106).
Meteorites, Comets and Asteroids
Our earth is constantly in danger of colliding with heavenly bodies like comets, asteroids and meteorites (Hanson 67). While one might think that great damage from such collisions will occur if such bodies hit the earth’s surface in an area that is densely populated (such as a town), a greater catastrophic damage will happen if such bodies strike at sea (Abek 1561).
For example, scientists estimate that if an asteroid that is about six kilometres in size was to fall in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, a third of the US population would be killed (Damen 106). The gigantic speed and size of a typical asteroid can create huge waves (tsunamis) that can cause a devastating damage to our population (Liu 106).
Although the possibility of us experiencing such a collision (from a heavenly body such as a comet) is almost zero, there is always a possibility, however remote, of such a catastrophe (Abek 1561).
Activities of Man
Any human activity that can result in a displacement of a large volume of sea water can lead to the build-up of a tsunami wave. The carrying out of nuclear tests in deep sea can especially release large amounts of energy which can then displace large volumes of sea water; hence, leading to the development of a tsunami wave.
Characteristics of a Tsunami
As we had seen earlier, a tsunami originates from a displacement of a large volume of water (Van 24). Such a displacement creates a wave that moves up and down. A tsunami is therefore a wave that is very similar to the kind of wave ripples that we usually observe when we throw a stone in a tank of water (Damen 106).
Very often, a tsunami will travel as a series of multiple waves; hence, it is usually called a train of waves (Damen 106). Once it forms, a tsunami can travel thousands of miles in the sea before reaching a coastal area (Liu 106).
For example, a tsunami with an origin in the Atlantic can travel at an incredible speed of over 1000 km/hr to reach the Japanese coastline within 24 hours. Usually, tsunamis travel at very high speeds in deep sea waters (Hassain 51).
However, on reaching shallow waters, the speeds of tsunamis usually reduce gradually (Van 24). Such behaviour results from an energy flux that remains constant during a wave travel (Hanson 67). Since the energy flux of a tsunami is proportional to the speed and amplitude of a tsunami wave, tsunamis at deep waters will travel at high speeds and low amplitudes.
Unlike their counterparts in shallow waters, such tsunamis will usually consist of waves that are small in amplitude and long (in horizontal size) (Abek 1561). Indeed, it is sometimes difficult to physically observe a tsunami wave that is travelling in the deep sea (Moore 115).
However, as a tsunami moves into shallow waters towards a coastal area, its speed decreases while its amplitude increases. Travelling at a speed that is proportional to the square root of gravity constant multiplied by depth, a tsunami that is travelling in water that has a depth of five kilometres can move at a speed of over 800 km/hr.
On hitting a coastline, such a tsunami can travel at amplitude that is within ten to fifty meters. Such tsunamis can be observed as a series of water waves forming a series of rises that alternate with falls at the coastline. Usually, tsunamis can occur for several hours.
Like any other wave, tsunami waves can add to one another to form waves with higher amplitudes, or subtract from one another to form waves of lower (or zero) amplitudes (Moore 116).
The 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka
The date of 26th December, 2004, will be remembered for a long time by many people in Sri Lanka. During this particular date, a tsunami of a large magnitude and scale hit the coastline of Sri Lanka (Liu 117). The 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka was caused by an earthquake of a high magnitude that occurred in the western coast of Sumatra (Moore 138).
The focal depth of this particular earthquake was about thirty kilometres (Liu 117). Described as the worst earthquake to occur in the history of our planet in the past five decades, the earthquake that caused Sri Lanka’s tsunami measured over 9.0 on the Richter scale (Liu 106).
The above earthquake originated from an interaction of Australian, Sunda, and Burmerse tectonic plates. Here, as much as 30 meters of the sea bed covering a distance of over one thousand kilometres was displaced (Abek 1561).
Thus, the displacement that was caused by the described tsunami resulted in a vertical displacement of a very large volume of water; hence, creating a tsunami (Moore 129). Moreover, the 9.0 earthquake caused a series of about fifteen other earthquakes in the affected region.
As a result of a water displacement (caused by the resulting upward movement of the sea floor) that was caused by the 9.0 earthquake, a series of three tsunami waves was formed (Liu 106). Time duration between these tsunami waves averaged about twenty minutes.
Effects of the 2004 Sri Lanka’s Tsunami
When a tsunami reaches a coastline, it travels with high amplitude (from ten meters to even fifty meters). Thus, water overflows from the coastline towards the inland. Such a moving volume of water travels at a high speed, and with enormous energy that can cause huge destructions.
The 2004 tsunami, which hit the Sri Lankan coastline, affected more than two thirds of the Sri Lankan coastline. More than 20% of the Sri Lankan population was thus affected by the 2004 tsunami. Here, the moving tsunami wave drowned and killed thousands of people.
There were especially many deaths since the country was not expecting a tsunami, and was not therefore prepared for an emergency evacuation. It is reported that due to ignorance, thousands of Sri Lanka’s went to learn of what had happened when the first of the three series of tsunami waves hit their coastline (Liu 119).
Usually, due to interactions with a coastline (often leading to a loss of energy), the first wave of a tsunami is often less devastating than those that follow after it. Thousands of people here were thus caught unaware and killed by the second wave of the 2004 tsunami.
The total number of people who were killed in Sri Lanka by the 2004 tsunami has been estimated to be around 31,000 in total (Liu 119). A larger proportion of those killed by the 2004 Tsunami consisted of women and children.
It is estimated that over 10,000 of those killed here during the tsunami disaster consisted of children (Liu 119). Apart from deaths, about seventeen thousand people were injured by the tsunami tragedy while more than five thousand were reported as missing (Liu 119).
Moreover, the overflowing waters of the 2004 tsunami resulted in a massive destruction of property along the Sri Lankan coastline. As a result of the 2004 tsunami tragedy, more than eighty thousand homes were destroyed; hence, displacing about a million individuals as a result.
So as to cater for the needs of the people who were displaced by the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, about 800 camps for the displaced were formed. Many of the people in these resettlement camps had lost their property and livelihoods as a result of the tsunami tragedy. Many others had to undergo psychological trauma due to the negative ways in which the tsunami had affected their ordinary living.
Apart from houses, many infrastructural facilities were destroyed by the 2004 tsunami; thus affecting transport, communication and also posing a reconstruction challenge. A lot of debris could be seen around all the areas that had been affected by the tsunami.
Besides, the 2004 tsunami affected the ground fresh water table through salinization of fresh water sources. It will take a lot of efforts and time to clean some of these water tables that were affected.
Since the Indian Ocean bed has been proven to contain lesser amounts of titanium as compared to the Pacific Ocean, more studies will be required before we can determine if large amounts of titanium was deposited inland during the 2004 tsunami.
Economic Impacts
The 2004 tsunami affected the economy of Sri Lanka in several negative ways. Many people lost their sources of livelihoods as a result of the 2004 tsunami. Some of these people who had lost their livelihoods had lost their businesses and houses, which had been destroyed by the destructive tsunami waves (Dawson 224).
Moreover, since a large community of the Sri Lankan population depends on fishing, many fishermen became poor as a result of losing their boats to the destructive tsunami waves that had hit their coastline (Dawson 224). A United Nations report on the 2004 tsunami catastrophe estimated that about two hundred thousand people in Sri Lanka were in danger of becoming poorer following the 2004 tsunami tragedy (Dawson 224).
Because a large part of hotels, beaches, among other tourist facilities were destroyed by the tsunami tragedy, the tourism economy of Sri Lanka was affected negatively. With no places were tourists could visit and relax, the number of tourists arrivals in Sri Lanka decreased significantly.
As a result, many people who were directly employed by the tourism sector lost their jobs. Moreover, due to a decrease in tourist arrivals, Sri Lanka was thus losing an important source of foreign exchange for developing her economy.
With a destruction of her infrastructure as a result of the tsunami tragedy, billions of dollars were needed for restructuring. With limited resources, it will be difficult to meet the cost of restructuring affected infrastructure. Meanwhile, as a result of infrastructural destruction, many businesses were affected negatively (Dawson 224).
Many of these businesses depend on telecommunication, electrical power, and transport to carry on with their day to day activities. Most of these businesses are small businesses that contributed positively to the Sri Lankan economy (through employment of people and paying of taxes).
Since most of these businesses have suffered from a displacement of people (hence a loss of market and human resource), and also from a physical damage of their properties and facilities, they have found themselves in a very repelling environment to operate in; thus, limiting their capacity and output to the Sri Lankan economy.
Measures that can be taken to Avoid Future Tsunami Disasters
No matter how much we prepare, we can never be ready for natural disasters. However, a possible measure of precautions and preparedness can help us to avoid, or minimize the destructive effects of natural disasters.
Although there is uncertainty on the effectiveness of using technology to mitigate the effects of natural disasters such as tsunamis, we should always work in the direction of utilizing such technologies if we can save a few lives as a result.
Together with several countries, the United States has developed and placed sensors at specific areas on the seabed of the Pacific Ocean. These pressure sensors have been designed to detect possible tsunami waves (UNEP 18).
Since tsunamis consist of waves that have rising and falling amplitudes, the resulting difference in the depth of water can cause pressure alterations at sea beds. These pressure alterations can thus be detected by pressure sensors at the seabed (Meihde 56).
However, since such a process of measurement is highly complex, it is very difficult for sensors at the sea bed to have accuracies that can detect tsunami waves. Still, the progress that has been made in using sensors to analyse data for a possible tsunami waves is positive (UNEP 12).
Moreover, since tsunamis interact with the coastline in a way that is difficult to predict, it is equally difficult to predict their behaviour. Sometimes, tsunami waves can add together or cancel one another; hence, making it difficult to determine their eventual behaviour (Meihde 56).
Several researchers remain uncertain if the tsunami warning technology in the Pacific Ocean can be replanted in the Indian Ocean. Still, Sri Lanka has been part of an ongoing program that has been working with several other countries to develop a system that can monitor for possible tsunamis before they occur (Liu 106).
Under the tsunami warning system, The Sri Lankan meteorological department will work together with Japanese technologies and the Pacific Tsunami Warning System (PTWC) to possibly help in the detection of future tsunamis (Yadav 107).
Although we do not have a reliable system of detecting tsunamis, the above development is progressive in developing reliable systems that can be useful in detecting and monitoring tsunamis before they hit a coastline (Andrew 23). However, since the Indian Ocean bed is different in structure and complexity to the Pacific Ocean bed, there is a need for scientists to develop a warning system that is unique to the Indian Ocean (Patra 362).
Currently, there has been a debate on whether to allow building of houses a few meters from the coastline (UNEP 21). Here, it will be useful to develop buildings that are protective and safe from tsunamis. Importantly, there is also a need to conserve the Sri Lankan coastline (Meihde 56).
A huge part of the coastline should be planted with mangrove forests (Patra 362). A thick cover of mangrove forests is useful in cutting and breaking tsunami waves before they move further inland (Yadav 107). Conservation of the Sri Lankan coastline will thus be useful in at least reducing possible damages that may occur from future tsunamis (Andrew 22).
Importantly, the political leadership in Sri Lanka has become more aware of damages that can result from natural disasters like tsunami attacks.
With such awareness, the political leadership in Sri Lanka can prepare for emergencies and move with speed to mitigate damages that can arise from similar disasters in the future (Patra 362). Here, it will be useful to develop a quick response system that can help in quick evacuations and treatments during times of natural disasters (Yadav 107).
An important area that needs to be utilised for the purposes of mitigating the effects of future natural disasters is the use of technology. Here, technology can especially be used to help in assessing the damage that could have occurred following the occurrence of a natural disaster (Patra 362).
Importantly, technology can be employed to communicate with the people who are in danger of being hit by a natural disaster (Andrew 22). It is fruitful to relay information to a target populace with instructions on where they can move to stay safe, what they can do, and how they can ask for help during such times (Meihde 56).
As we had seen earlier, a large number of people who died during the 2004 tsunami attack died from the second wave (Yadav 107). Having heard of what had happened, many people moved in ignorance to witness the effects of the first wave before the more deadly second wave hit (Yadav 107).
With the right communication, these people could have been told to stay away from the beach; hence, cutting on the number of fatalities that occurred (Patra 362). As it has been proven time and again, an effective system of coordination and communication is essential in saving lives during times of natural disasters (Andrew 23).
Conclusion
Natural disasters will always remain a part of us during our stay on planet earth. So as to minimize the loss of lives during natural disasters, it is useful for man to utilize all resources at his disposal to preserve lives during the occurrence of natural disasters.
Such a direction would involve understanding the science of natural disasters like tsunamis, and thus develop measures that can help in warning, planning and rescue programs when natural disasters strike. The 2004 tsunami has especially provided us with important lessons on the direction that we can adopt to prevent massive deaths during such disasters.
Adopting programs that are helpful in preparing for such disasters can be fruitful in saving many lives.
Such a direction would involve developing an efficient system of communication, designing and implementing a standby resource of manpower and machinery for emergencies, using technological systems to warn for possible oncoming disasters, and importantly, developing a system of peaceful coexistence with our natural environment (such as the planting of mangrove forests along coastlines to help in subduing tsunamis).
Works Cited
Abek, Kennedy, “Physical Size of Tsunamigenic Earthquakes from Tsunami Data.” Journal of Geography Research, volume 84.1 (2006): 1561-1568. Print
UNEP, Early Warning Systems, New York: UNEP Press, 2011. Print Van, Frank, the Science of Tsunamis, New York: International Institute For geo-information Science Press, 2006 Print
Vitarana, Tissa, Sri Lanka after the Indian Ocean Tsunami New York: International Institute for geo-information Science Press, 2006 Print
Yadav, Agarwal, Soil, Water Conservation. Mumbai: Oxford, 2007. Print
Marketing recovery in businesses is essential especially in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries. It involves restoration of everything that has been lost because of a catastrophe or otherwise. A tsunami hit Thailand at one of its coastal beaches, affecting the tourism sector.
This sector is one of Thailand’s economic backbones. For this reason, researchers included 250 travel agencies in a market research and collaborated with the government and the Tourism Authority of Thailand to establish a post tsunami-marketing plan to revive the tourism market. The marketing research, which mainly included advertising and promotions, attracted tourists increasing the number of tourists, though at a lower rate. Further, the assurance of safety by the government enabled the tourists to return to the affected areas.
However, there is still a need for the government to improve crisis management in the industry by designing physical infrastructures, which withstand the forces of such disasters when they happen. The travel agencies should also enhance awareness on the same to tourists.
Introduction
Tourism industry has been one of the leading factors contributing to the economy of Thailand. This is because of the attractive features and hospitality of the people in the country. The industry has continued to grow over the years by approximately 20 per cent, and the number of tourists reaching 12 million in 2004.
On 26 December 2004, an earthquake, off the coast of Sumatra, triggered a tsunami that struck many countries throughout the Indian Ocean. The tsunami disaster affected both the infrastructure and human population, with 223,492 people losing their lives, other 43,320 declared as missing. 400,000 homes were destroyed, and more than 3,000 miles of roads and 118,000 fishing boats damaged.
With more than 8,000 people, half of them being tourists, dead or missing in Thailand’s Andaman Coast, the tourism sector was severely hit (Carlsen & Hughes 2007, pg.139).
Moreover, many restaurants and rooms were wiped out, coral reefs shattered, and white sand beaches were moved into coconuts groves. The disaster caused not only a destructive consequence to the people there but almost destroyed the tourism market in totality (Rittichainuwat 2006, p.396).
Following the disaster, the number of tourists decreased by 10 per cent, with potential tourists cancelling their bookings assuming that all the hotels were destroyed. This spurred researchers to come up with the Phuket Action Plan to restore the tourism sector, which was the source of income and employment in the country. For instance, in Phuket alone, 300,000 people were employed.
The researchers included tourism experts and several private and international organizations. The researchers aim was to assess the damages caused by the tsunami, to evaluate and adjust the impact and strategize on how to combat the crisis in the future.
Objectives
To restore the travel confidence among the foreign investors and tourists in the region
To emphasize on the country’s flood prevention and control
To study marketing strategy of travel agencies in the region
Methodology
The population picked included 250 Phuket travel agencies who were either owners or marketing managers involved in the tourism industry. A sample size of 20 agencies, with more than 4 years of work experience in tourism, was used. Face-to-face interviews were used to get open-minded answers from the respondents about the marketing plan adjustment.
Literature Review
For many countries, tourism is a significant foreign exchange earner. It is for this reason that countries seek to preserve it and enhance all aspects that boost its production. Thailand is no different from these countries. As indicated by Rittichainuwat (2006, p.397), Thailand’s GDP consists of 6% tourism revenue with more than 300,000 jobs guaranteed throughout the year.
The peak season, which comes around October-November, creates an additional 20,000 jobs for locals as well as increasing the revenue collected to more than 7% of the GDP (Rittichainuwat 2006, p.399). This shows that any disastrous effects to the environment, as well as the locality, would adversely affect the way tourism is conducted in the area with loses being noted in all fronts.
For this reason, the Thailand Government put across more than 300 million bahts (Thai currency) to set up tsunami warning systems to ensure that the economy does not suffer from any other crisis like the one that hit the Andaman Coast in 2004.
As recorded by Carlsen and Hughes (2007, p.141), the Tsunami that hit the Indian ocean on the 24th of December 2004 was not anything that could be easily forgotten by those who suffered as its result. One of the areas that were hit and suffered substantial loses was the Andaman Coast of Thailand.
This tsunami has to-date been recorded as the worst natural disaster in the country’s history. The areas, which were heavily affected, were Krabi, Phang-Nga, Ranong, Satun Trang, and Phuket. The disaster affected directly to the tourism industry especially Phuket, which resulted to fewer tourists and decreased revenue. In Phuket, the total number of deaths was 262, injured persons amounting to 1,111 and 700 missing. Such incidents are amongst those that the government is trying to do away with by setting up tsunami warning stations.
Further, there is a need to create a recovery procedure that ensures the country gets back to its feet fast enough incase the disaster hits again. Carlsen (2006, p.70) encourages governments to look at several options and criteria that can be used to safeguard the tourism hotspots and ensure that the country does not lose on its share of international travels.
For instance, it has been noted that a simple flooding issue can lead to more than a 15% decline in international bookings meaning that the country loses a lot in terms of revenue (Carlsen 2006, p.73). Further, the economy suffers from such a negative incident. Therefore, measures to safeguard this valuable sector need to be up and running to assure the tourists of their safety, as well as wellbeing, while touring the country.
Findings
The marketing campaign attracted tourists back into Phuket though there was a decrease in the number of tourists visiting the country. In 2005, 2.5 million visitors were received compared to 4.2 million in 2004 and a rise of 40% in February 2005 compared to less than 10% in January.
The decrease affected the employee’s salary negatively reducing it by 35.3% (Carlsen & Hughes 2007, p.143). 61% of the respondents advocated for spare cash for emergencies and provision of safety drills and instructions in managing those natural disasters that may affect the industry (Carlsen & Liburd 2007, p.266).
It was found that 79.90% of the travel agencies did not have business insurance for either their property or the customers. 32.3% of the respondents needed assistance from the TAT to collaborate with the airline, tour operators and accommodation that was agreed by 90% of the travel agencies. On the other hand, 70% needed the government’s help in advertising and promoting the market as well as establish public relations on safety of the industry (Carlsen 2006, p.77).
Discussion
Marketing recovery is the potentiality to recapture or to enhance market due to loss resulted from a negative scenario (Pforr & Hosie 2007, p.252). Such a scenario can be equated to the 2004 tsunami, which occurred at the Andaman coast in Thailand. The main aim of the researchers was to look for ways of reviving the tourism industry, which was highly affected by this disaster.
By doing this, the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) contradicted the reports from national televisions, which reported that most of the villages were destroyed. According to TAT, many of the popular beaches were relatively unaffected. For example, only 12% of Phuket’s hotel rooms were damaged.
In order to restore and to correct the incorrect perception of the tourism industry; the researchers began examining the impact of the marketing campaigns that had been placed on all major markets, both locally and internationally, and through the Internet (Carlsen & Liburd 2007, p.269).
This included offering familiarization trips for the media from all the principal markets, broadcasting the status of the tourism industry through the local media especially on the television and radio and attending international trade shows and promotional fairs.
Others included using road shows and promotional workshops in the major markets, purchasing advertising space on international television and other media, having high-level delegations meet with tour operators and government officials in all leading markets and hanging welcome banners at the airport, and distributing a bi-monthly electronic newsletter to update keen tourists on the status of the industry.
Lastly, the rest involved offering joint destination promotions with leading tour operators and airlines; and conducting continued market research on the perceptions of tourists in the country (Carlsen & Hughes 2007, p.146). In addition, highly publicized events with a religious ceremony where the souls lost in that period were freed, and the priests and monks gave permission to the tourists to return to Southern Thailand (Pforr & Hosie 2007, p.259).
Moreover, they focused on the marketing environment. The natural disaster had destroyed the tourism environment in Thailand. The popular attractions especially in the Southern Thailand suffered from the disaster. In addition to this, the media continued giving negative reports on dilapidated beaches, hence deterring the tourists from travelling to Thailand (Carlsen & Hughes 2007, p.149).
Tourists not only worried about the occurrence of another tsunami as well as about their safety. To improve the market environment, the government approved $125 million to rebuild and market the beaches, which were destroyed to recover the original scenery.
For instance, there was plenty of trash on the Ba-Tong beach after the tsunami. However, after rebuilding the beach, the scenery became neater (Carlsen & Liburd 2007, p.274). The Thai government also designed historic travelling offers with reduced prices to attract travelers back into the country.
In cooperation with the Thailand Airline Company, hotels and travel agencies, the government promoted the sale of premium-priced travelling packages to attract the travelers and raise the in-flow of tourists into Thailand (Rittichainuwat 2006, p.403). The government has also invested in the establishment of an early warning system and disaster preparedness planning.
There was also restructuring of the Kamala Beach into a safe and distinctive cultural orientation spot hence creating a cultural image rather the previous adopted modern image (Pforr & Hosie 2007, p.263).
The Strategies used to promote and advertise the industry included organizing a number of mega tourism events such as international tiger skins games, LG action sports world tour, Happiness Andaman tsunami memorial day, and colorful Andaman, which were meant to create more attraction to those not yet aware of the revamped tourism market in Thailand.
Conclusion
Conventionally, disasters affect the tourism industry in several ways. Declines in the airline bookings, as well as increased advisory reports, hamper any quick revival of an industry hit by disasters such as the tsunami. However, with great planning, in cases where tsunamis and earthquakes occur frequently, would help in stabilizing the industry through any disaster in the future.
Thailand’s success in the tourism sector is mainly due to the cooperation between the government and the TAT in the provision of assistance to the country’s travel agencies and hotels. Funding by the government in the form of giving outstanding discounts to tourists and collaborating with organizations like the airlines to lower air tickets, contribute more in the growth of the industry.
Though the long-term recovery efforts are still on course and the response has been slower than expected, the market will be revived with continued support by the government to reconstruct and promote the marketing of tourism. Thus, there will be an improvement in the overall economy of Thailand. Further, the confidence among the tourists is being restored with the emphasis being laid on the country’s flood prevention and control.
Recommendations
The government should, as Rittichainuwat (2006) puts it, “research more on designing and developing natural landscapes and physical infrastructure to stand out against natural forces of tsunami, while ensuring the natural beauty of coastal and marine landscapes” (p. 399).
In addition, traveling agencies should insure their properties against natural disasters. Further, the local administration together with National marine parks and the royal Thai navy should assist the tourists with emergency evacuation, first aids treatment, and other lifesaving assistance.
Political turmoil serves to lower investor confidence as well as reduce the number of tourists visiting the country due to insecurity issues. The TAT and the government should formulate a peace agreement that seeks to protect the interests of the tourists as well as enhance their safety while in the country.
Reference List
Carlsen, J. C., 2006. Post-Tsunami Tourism Strategies for the Maldives. Tourism Review International, 10(1), pp. 69-79.
Carlsen, J. C., & Hughes, M., 2007. Tourism Recovery Marketing In the Maldives After The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 23(2), pp. 139-149.
Carlsen, J. C., & Liburd, J. J., 2007. Developing a Research Agenda for Tourism Crisis Management, Market Recovery and Communication. Journal of Travel And Tourism Marketing, 23(3), pp. 265-276.
Pforr, C., & Hosie, P. J., 2007. Crisis Management in Tourism: Preparing For Recovery. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 23(4), pp. 249-264.
Rittichainuwat, B. N., 2006. Tsunami Recovery: A Case Study of Thailand’s Tourism. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration, 47(4), pp. 390-404.